Trolley-wire clamp



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,431

s. s. MAT-mas v TRLLEY WIRE CLAMP Filed sept. v, 1927 -ff- 7 Invenlor vQSE/WEL '5'. MNHES v n v Allorney Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THEYOHIO BRASS COMPAN Y,

OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TROLLEY-WIRE CLAMP.

Application lfiled September 7, 1927. Serial o. 217,939.

My invention relates to hangers for conductors and particularly trolley conductors orl wires'suspended from a catenary cable.

The object'o't my linvention is to provide a simple and eiiicient hanger which can 'be-fa'pplied tothe messenger or catenary cable with- Y Vout disassembling the parts to be Aapplied to the messenger or catenary cable and I'to `the trolley wire without being disassembled, 'and which can also 'be applied to the trolley wire temporarily prior to thev tensioning of the trolley wire and permanently lsecuring the clamp or hanger to the wire.

In the drawingaccompanying this speci-r iication: f

Fig. 1 shows a side view of my invention as appliedto a catenary cable xand a trolley Wire andwitlhthe hanger 'member in-position to receive the messenger cable, as shown by dotted lines. y

Fig. 2 is a face `view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face View of the leitt 'hand lclamping member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an inner face view or' Fig. 3.

Fig. .5 is fan innerface view of the right hand clamping member shown ingF ig. 1.

F ig. 6 is a sectional ViewA on the line -6-'6 of Fig.V 2. Y

Fig. 7 is a sectional View on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 shows one View of a tool used Vfor permanently securing the device to the trolley wire.

In the preferred embodiment of 'my invention I employ two'clamping members 1 and'2 provided'with registering orifices 3 and4 respectively. The orilice 3 is provided with a thread 5to engage and interlock withthe special'screwV 6. The orifice at is without thread and is elliptical in shape to permit of adjustment of the members 1 and `2 relative to each other in positioning the device upon a trolley wire.

Themembers 1 and 2 are provided with projecting lugs 7 and '8 respectivelv.

Theinner surfacesof the lugs 7 and 8 are concave and the edges of thelug 7 are provided with lips 9 adapted to be formedabout the suspension member 10. The inner face of the 'lug 8 is left concave to detachably receive the lower end 11 of the suspension member 10,V and the side walls form a groove 12 member 6` suliciently,

which retains the end 11 of the member 10 in position against lateral displacement in line with the trolleyA wire.

The member 1 is provided with a recess 13 to receive a projecting ylug 11 on the member 2, which helps to movably maintain the members 1 and 2 against lateral and rotative mo vement relative to eachother. The member 1 is provided with aV groove 15 to receive "the 'bent end 16 of the member 10. This bent end 16 coacts` with a groove 17 on the member 2, which tends to lock the parts together, as well as the recess and lug 13 and 14.

The screw 6 lisconstructed with a large diameter to pass through the orifices in the members l and 2, and the outer surface is threaded to engage with the 'threads 5 Aon the member 1. The threaded portion ofthe screw 6 is made suf'cient'ly long so that when it is l position between the lips 18. Then the screw '6 is drawn -fup tight, the members 1 and 2 are drawn into close relation with each other and with the trolley wire 19 and the end 11 of the member 10 yis held in the groove 12 andthe space 2O is such that the member 11 cannot pass between the lugs 7 and 8. Vhen the end 11 is sprung out, as shown by the .dotted lines in Fig. 1, the member10jcan be placed in Y position upon the messenger cable 21. IVhen the parts1a1id'2are separated by unscrewing the the space 20 is then greater .than the diameter of the member 11.

The screw 6 is provided with a large head 22,and the head is provided with a wide and substantial slot- 23. Passing axially through the screwA 6 is an orifice 24. After the screw has been positioned with relation to the `members 1 and 2, I turn the extreme end ofthe shank over, las at 25, which prevents the screw being entirely removed from the clamps and thereby dropped when the lineman is adj usting the clamp to the trolley wire and catenary ca le.

My invention is applied to the messenger wire by running the screw 6 back until the members 1 and 2 separate so as to spring the end 11 of the member 10 out of its socket, as

Y backed lott it will permit the members 1 andv i shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l. rlhis vent relative rotation or' the clamping ineml -permits vthe hanger to be applied to the messenger cable 2l passing the cable through the space 26 between the lug 8 and the end ll of the member l0.

The trolley wire ll can also be positioned between the jaws i8. rlhis being accom# plish'ed, the end ll ot the member 10 can be placed back in position in the groove 12 and the tendency 'for the end 1l to spring outwardly will cause the members l and 2 to pivot relative to each other upon the screw 6, thereby throwing the jaws 18 inwardly and in gripping relation with the trolley wire 19,

and this will holdtlie trolley wire temporarily between the airs l and 2. The screw 6 can now be tightened up or this operation can be lett until some future time it desired.

The member l() can be ma de oi steel, phosphor bronze or hard drawn copper. It' made Y of steell or phosphor bronze, the resiliency* or spring action ot the end ll is quite strong. The co-action oit the end 16 with the grooves l5 and i7 on the members l and 2 respectively prevents relative rotation ol the member i0 with respect to the clampingmembers. vSuch rotation would take place whenever the meniber lOris made ot round material, unless it were for the co-action ot the end l5 Vas stated., In 8 I show a `tool tor' tightening thev Ascrew 6, which consistsof a body member 26 and a handle 27. AA projecting cylindrical member 28 projects from the opposite end ot the handle and is of such .a diameter as tofit reasonably close in the oriiice 2li in the` screw. The tool is also provided -witli oppo-` sitely disposed members 29 .to engage the slot 23. vThis tool is ound very efficient for use with a screw ot. the nature shown, tor the reasontli'atthe member 28 positioned in the orifice 24 prevents the tool from slipping out ot position relative to the screw tightening f it up, as is often theV case with an ordinary l screw driver made to it merelytheslotin a screw. A tool of this character is tar superior to a screw driver, as the operator is able to work with more confidence and less danger to his hands than it he were using-a screw driver, which, itI it did slip, would be. apt to injurehis hand.

Having described my invention, I'claim.: 1. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of clamping members, a groove inlveaeh mein-V ber to receive theends ota suspension inem-- berand one endot the suspension member permanently secured in one. of the grooves, means detachably holding the other end of the suspension member, jaws on' thel lower edges ot the clamping members to grip the trolley wire, securing means to draw lthe clamping members together and into contact l with the trolley wire, enlargedintegral means oneacli end of the securing means to prevent withdrawal of the securing means and coacting means on the clamping members to prevromits seat. n n Y. j j y Y 5. A trolley wire support comprisingfa pair bers when withdrawn.

2. A trolley wire clampcomprising a pair or' clamping membera'a iJ shaped suspension member havin 0 one end permanently secured to one clamping member and the other end detacliably engaging the other clamping member, securing means to draw the clamping membersinto clamping relation with the trolley wir i, means to limit the withdrawal 'of the securing njieansand means to prevent relative'rotation ol" the clampingV members when said securing means Vis partially withdrawn. Y l

3. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of 'clamping members having jaws to' grip a trolley wire, a U shaped resilient suspension member having one end secured to one of the securing means is partiall v `said members and the other end detachably interlocked with the other clamping member, securing means to pivotally hold the Y clamping members together, means tolimit the withdrawal oi thesecluring means fromV the clamping members, means to prevent the relative rotation oit the clamping members Vwhen the securing means iswithdrawn to its members to assist in preventing relative `r0-l tation of the clamping and suspension menibers. f Y

4. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair -ot clamping members, each having a aw to grip a trolley wire and an upwardly projecting member with a seat therein, a- U shaped j suspension member having Vone end secured in one seat and the other end detachably positioned in said seat and removabletherefromto apply the clamp to a suspension cable, means to draw the clamping members Y togetherA and grip the wireadjacent edges of the projecting members being so related that when. the clamping lmembers aref gripping the wire the detachable end cannot be removedldistant from its Vseat but when the l'clamping membersare out or gripping relation with the wire a predetermined amount the detachable end can beremoveddistantly of clamping members each having a jaw to grip a trolley wire, a suspension member nonjdetachably secured to one of the clamping members .and a screwto draw theclamping members into clamping relation with the wire 4comprising a threaded shank to threadably engage one clamping member and a head at one end ot the shank ot greater diameterthan the shank and engaging the other clamping member, an oriiice oi circular section extending axially ofthe head and sha-nk from the headl end and a transverse slotv in the outerY tace ot the head. v

6. A trolley wire support comprising a pair of clamping members each having a jaw to grip a trolley wire, a suspension member for the clamping members having a permanent connection to one clamping member and a detachable engagement with the other clamping member and a screw to draw the clamping members into clamping relation with the wire comprising a threaded shank to threadably engage one clamping member and ahead at one end of the shank of greater diameter than the shank and engaging the other clamping member, an orifice extending axially of the head and shank and a transverse slot in the outer face of the head and means on the end of the shank opposite the head to engage with one of the clamping members to limit the withdrawal of the screw and means to prevent relative rotation or the clamping members when the securing means is partially withdrawn.

7. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of clamping members n having registering openings and a counterbore in the face of one member and registering with the opening therein7 a screw having a threaded engagement with one member'and a head positioned in the counter-bore, a passage lextending face of the head, a U-shaped suspension means toattach the clamping member 'to a support and having one end permanently secured to one clamping member and the other end detachably engaging the other clamping member and means to grip a trolley wire.

8. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of clamping members pivotally secured together when in position to receive a trolley wire, means along one edge of each member to grip the wire, means to move the members into gripping relation with the wire and a resilient supporting member associated with each clamping member to secure the device to a support and move the members into holding engagement with the trolley wire, one. end of the resilient supporting means secured to one clamping member and the other end or' the supporting means to removably engage the other clamping member and meansto prevent relative rotation of the clamping members in their released position.

-In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES. 

